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About the Program

The glaucoma fellowship is a one-year program beginning on July 1 of each year. We emphasize both clinical and research training in this fellowship. Depending on the interest and funding, an additional year of basic research fellowship may be arranged. Our glaucoma fellowship is AUPO FCC approved.

The University of Iowa Glaucoma Center has a passion for eradicating needless blindness due to glaucoma. The war on glaucoma blindness takes place on three fronts: clinical care, teaching, and research. The University of Iowa is at the forefront in all three of these arenas:

Providing the highest quality patient care with the latest technology

Educating clinicians, researchers, students and patients

Researching the causes of glaucoma and developing tools to aid in diagnosis and treatment

The clinical experience provides extensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. We are the major glaucoma referral center for Iowa and western Illinois, an area with a patient population of about three million. Most of our patients have fairly advanced glaucoma and will provide the opportunity for the fellow to acquire skills in gonioscopy, disc evaluation, and visual field interpretation. The laser and surgical experience is comprehensive and includes the use of mitomycin C in trabeculectomy and combined phacoemulsification/trabeculectomy, the placement of Baerveldt and Ahmed setons, infantile glaucoma surgery, and trabectome surgery.

Patient Care

Our fellowship training combines outpatient, inpatient and surgical experience. As the largest tertiary care center in Iowa, we receive referrals from across Iowa and the surrounding states. Fellows study directly with leading experts and experience a wide spectrum of cases, from the very simple to the most complex.

Education

The Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Iowa has a unique, superlative teaching program. Morning rounds are held fMonday through Thursday from 8:00 to 8:45 a.m. These are attended by all faculty, fellows, and residents and consist of patient presentations, seminars, and interesting discussions. Every Friday morning during the academic year, faculty members present a two hour lecture covering sections of the Basic and Clinical Sciences course subject material. The Glaucoma Service has chart rounds at the end of every clinic day.

Faculty are always available to provide guidance, mentorship and research assistance. However, glaucoma fellows enjoy a balance of supervision and autonomy to work independently.

Our fellows also become very involved in the training of our residents and medical students both on a one-to-one basis in the clinic, as well as in morning rounds.

Research

Fellows are encouraged to publish and present their research at regional and national meetings.

The glaucoma fellow undertakes and completes a research project during the year. This project is presented at the annual Residents' and Fellows' Day in the Spring.

Additionally, there is the opportunity to assist with ongoing research projects. Faculty members are available to assist and offer guidance whenever needed.

Research interests in the Glaucoma Service include the molecular genetics and cell biology of glaucoma, and ocular imaging.